Microsoft offers voluntary severance to about a quarter of staff
Original title: Microsoft offers a quarter of its workforce voluntary severance while shielding AI-critical teams
The offer covers U.S., Canada, India, and UK roles at VP level or below, while data centers, sales, cybersecurity, and quantum stay out.
Microsoft is offering voluntary severance to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce, Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said in a memo. Xbox, Windows, Copilot, and Finance are fully included. Data centers, sales, cybersecurity, and quantum computing are excluded as areas tied to its AI strategy. It is the company’s second such program in 2026; headcount remains about 223,000 while CFO Amy Hood says AI infrastructure spend will be about $170 billion.
- Microsoft offered buyouts to 8,750 U.S. employees in May and cut 4,800 jobs in July.
- Workforce remains about 223,000, roughly the same as in 2022, despite revenue growth.
- Planned 2026 AI infrastructure spending is about $170 billion, down from a $175 billion plan.
- A spokesperson said Microsoft wants employees committed to its toughest problems.
- Vendors
- Microsoft
From the original article
1 min read at the-decoder.com
Microsoft is offering voluntary severance packages to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce, in the second such program this year. The company's headcount has held flat at around 223,000 since 2022 even as it plans to spend about $170 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026 alone.
By Manuel Uth · the-decoder.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.